am coordinating a large gathering
at times i am just amongst the throng
and then naturally emergent in a leadership role

manymost of the people know each other andor of each other
as they are gathering

i am burning and dodging shapeshifting elusively omnipresent
configuring vanishing swirling twirling
hurling mudras

a thickening crowd

i don’t want them all to know all my secrets
that could be dangerous for anyone

the arena has expanded from any possible institutional space
to take over a whole big city block sidewalks filling in

i am smackdabinthemiddle of the street boldly facing down cars
with my outheld palm stopping them and directing them where to park
some seem reluctant to stop and plausibly ready to run me down
but i stand my ground and it all begins to form up allandeverything

it is clear that it is time for some kind of musical performance involving everyone
and all eyes are on me to conduct direct give the downbeat

i stand there in the middle of it all gathering in the energies and attentions
discerning the moment of peak readiness and propitiousness and rhythm
and somehow searching deeply within for the moment to begin

it is an unwieldy crowd

one camper suddenly takes a headlong dive across a table spread
sort of a foodfight dive over the top and an ugly edge

i attend settling it all down

and farandwide a stirring silence settles in
ready

and a one-two…

nothing happens

i start again

and a one-two-three-four…

everyone is looking at me…
i start all over… more quickly this time…

and a one-two-three-four-five-six-seven…

and someone calls out to me, gently, laughing….
you can’t just keep starting all over John…